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2 Overview The UK s shoppers have not yet deserted their local High Street. But once consumers no longer achieve what they want in town centre visits, its oft-predicted death is liable to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The High Street is likely to survive only for as long as consumers enjoy the town centre customer experience. This is the stark message that emerges from our research. The growth of out-of-town stores, the convenience of supermarkets and the rise of online retailing have not yet delivered a fatal blow to the town centre, but the window of opportunity to ensure that most people still continue to shop in the heart of their own communities is becoming smaller. By tracking shoppers over a period of time, thus producing a uniquely detailed picture of consumer behaviour, we have shown that the town centre is still the UK s favourite shopping destination. In other words, despite mounting competition, the High Street retains our patronage. This in itself is hugely significant, but it is no cue for complacency quite the opposite. It is a cue for action. The fact remains that the town centre is only just ahead of the supermarkets as the closest competitor, while online retailing, although attracting fewer visits, already generates more spending. The competition is intensifying and it will only increase with advances in mobile technology. Crucially, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of how and why consumers use the town centre. For the first time we have been able to break down the consumer journey to identify town centre touch points ; the key moments of interaction with the retail environment, to develop a much more precise and nuanced understanding of what makes people come back, what compels them to go elsewhere, what they value and what they dislike. This unprecedented insight into the customer experience, drawn from both quantitative and qualitative data, highlights the enormous challenges and opportunities that now confront town centres. Perhaps most importantly, it offers empirical proof that it is the town centre customer experience, above all, that translates into greater consumer spend. Consequently, we argue that it is by developing the fullest possible understanding of the customer experience and using it to attract customers to visit and return, that our town centres are most likely to survive. Ultimately, although they may be acutely aware of its failings, UK consumers still want their town centres to work. This study explains how and why the customer experience is key to granting them their wish. We hope our findings and recommendations will help to make the necessary transformation possible. Cathy Hart Senior Lecturer in Retailing School of Business and Economics Loughborough University Page 1

3 Foreword The BRC is very pleased to support Loughborough University in the production of this important research, Investigating the Customer Experience of Town Centres. We are committed to playing a central role in the future of town centres and continue to promote the need for the right balance of effective policies and local management to support successful urban centres. This research provides a timely and welcome analysis of a vitally important element of town centre success customers and their use of town centres. The research will help policymakers, investors and the government understand what customers want from town centres and why they choose to visit and spend time and money in a given location. The analysis tracks a wide range of customer journeys in six different town centres while also investigating how competing centres interact and how technology continues to revolutionise the consumer experience. The report also helps us understand the interaction between functionality and experience depending on size, location and offering of town centres. Town centres are going through a period of profound structural change as the way people shop, interact and socialise changes. Despite this, town centres will continue to be important locations at the heart of communities. This rigorous analysis of consumer behaviour helps investors and other stakeholders make informed decisions based on empirical data. What is clear from the research is that town centres must try to differentiate what they offer. It is clear that online sales will play a growing role and destination centres will continue to attract consumers. Town centres must therefore offer a unique experience, the right retail mix and good reasons to spend time and money. As the research highlights, the precise nature of what is needed could differ considerably from location to location. But effective management, a vision for future development, secure and safe locations and accessibility will all be essential in achieving success. Tom Ironside Director of Business and Regulation British Retail Consortium Page 2

4 Executive Summary The importance of the customer experience The plight of Britain s town centres has attracted attention at the highest levels in recent years. The government has introduced a number of actions, from the Portas Review to the Future High Streets Forum, in response to undeniable evidence of economic decline. It is clear that town centres are changing, as is the way in which shoppers use them. With the internet offering unprecedented choice, comparison and convenience, consumers have come to expect more from town and city centres. Yet, although we are all deeply aware of this fundamental shift, surprisingly little is known about what actually constitutes the customer experience in a town centre. This research aims to fill that knowledge gap. By examining consumer behaviour in relation to the changing landscape of town centres, it provides evidence of how the customer experience is formed from a consumer perspective. As such, this study is unique. The research tracked 200 respondents in six town centres: Swindon, Huddersfield, Watford, Loughborough, Bury St Edmunds and Sandbach. One of the reasons that these locations were chosen was that they are typical of the type of towns that could be under threat from rival forms of retailing. All the respondents kept online diaries in which they logged every single element of their shopping activity over the course of a four-week period. This included where they shopped, how much time and money they spent in doing so and how they used internet or mobile technology to support or supplant the physical shopping experience. Respondents also completed a weekly questionnaire in which they recounted the critical incidents occuring during their customer experience journey. The study identified 11 key interactions or touch points, some of them physical (or functional ) and some intangible (or experiential ). Key findings 1. Shoppers have not yet deserted the High Street Town centres are the most popular shopping destination in our sample, attracting almost a third of all shopping visits (32%). Supermarkets come next (28%), followed by local shops (14%). The out-of-town/retail parks are visited least frequently as a destination (8%). 2. Convenience is key Consumers mostly choose shopping locations that are close to home or work, basing their decisions on factors such as the availability of stores, products, access and parking. They want a trouble-free functional visit. Generally, larger towns appear better equipped to provide this kind of experience. 3. Consumers are creatures of habit Some 60% of shopping journeys in town centres are habitual, with consumers rarely straying from a preferred route. Most consumer activity is focused on core retail clusters and is frequently influenced by perceptions of the length of the walk from car-park to shops and back again. 4. Consumers seek physical shopping experiences The majority of the most memorable critical incidents reported in our sample, whether positive or negative, are made up of customer service interactions. This shows that engaging with customer-facing employees remains a fundamental element of the shopping experience. Similarly, fashion/clothing is the sector that attracts most shopping in town centres, indicating that consumers value being able to see and feel clothes and accessories. In short, consumers still seek the physical involvement of town centre shopping. Page 3

5 5. The online threat cannot be ignored Some 13% of shopping visits in our sample are conducted online. The figure varies considerably from town to town, rising from 9% in Swindon to 27% in Loughborough (which has a large student population). Productrelated searches are the main online activity prior to visits to town centres. Online shopping during visits to town centres is relatively low, but 41% of respondents admit they shop in town centres less often because of the online alternative. This figure is only likely to rise. 6. Customer experience translates into consumer spend The respondents in our sample spend approximately the same average amount per town centre visit as they spend online ( versus 56.61). Yet those who shop in town centres with family and friends spend up to 50% more than those who shop alone. The experiential touch points of the customer journey including social interaction, visits to cafes and restaurants and atmosphere heighten enjoyment, prolong dwell time, increase spend and deter consumers from resorting to the online alternative. Typically, smaller towns appear to be better equipped to enhance the customer experience in this way. Translating the customer journey into multi-channel Our findings shed new light on the key touch points that comprise the customer journey to town centres, but precisely how these touch points link together remains unclear. Perhaps this is simply because at present they do not link together, which is part of the problem. Many retailers successfully manage customer experience seamlessly across multiple channels, for example in-store, online and mobile, but town centres lack such a level of coordination. Bearing this in mind, we make the following recommendations for enhancing the town centre customer experience. Key recommendations 1. Adopt a coordinated and collective approach Depending on how well it satisfies their needs, the mix of stores, goods and services in a town centre can attract or deter consumers. A coordinated and collective approach is vital to ensuring that the mix is an effective one and that consumers patronage is rewarded. Town management partnerships need to protect and strengthen anchor sectors (e.g. fashion/clothing) in underperforming towns, as well as encouraging new retail businesses in under-represented sectors to enhance the overall offer. It is also essential that the coordinated and collective approach embraces not just retailers but leisure and service providers. Town management partnerships should consider adopting a category management approach where valued sectors are at risk. 2. Facilitate availability and convenience Most reported customer dissatisfaction with town centres stems from lack of choice, limited range and poor stock availability. If consumers still prefer the convenience of shopping locally then more provision is needed to fulfill their visits and encourage repeat patronage. More attention should be given to stock availability and how important information is communicated to shoppers. Measures that enable consumers to combine shopping trips with click-and-collect purchases in town could help expand convenience, availability and attract additional brands and services. 3. Maximise the town centre journey Visitors to town centres need reasons to divert from their habitual shopping routes. Often consumers are pleasantly surprised by what they discover if they stray from their regular circuit. The merchandising techniques that individual stores use to stimulate customer circulation should be employed on a townwide basis to attract consumers to quieter areas. Improved signage, themed events and awareness-raising marketing campaigns can help turn retail cold-spots into hot-spots. Page 4

6 4. Make the most of customer service With consumers continuing to value the physical interaction of shopping in town centres, positive customer service is fundamental to encouraging continued loyalty and repeat visits. A range of initiatives should be employed to improve the quality, consistency and value of customer service, including for example consumer voted town-wide customer excellence awards, and incentivising staff through training, promotions and prize rewards. 5. Exploit and integrate the digital experience Although many individual retailers and services successfully operate Omni-channel businesses, the role of digital technology in enhancing the town centre customer experience is underdeveloped. Town centres need to become virtual marketplaces so that customers have the latest details regarding the availability of stores, products, brands, services and events. A central, one-stop information point backed by free, widely accessible wi-fi and dedicated store-finder and brand-finder apps would ensure that the internet supports rather than supplants the town centre experience. 6. Encourage the social interaction to increase dwell time and spend Group shopping, whether with family or friends, leads to longer visits and greater spending in town centres. Various marketing strategies should be used to target families and other groups, with a particular focus on the role of leisure and service providers. Existing virtual and local community networks should be researched with a view to encouraging and creating community cafes or meeting places, particularly after work or evenings. Car-parking prices, especially during evenings, need reviewing to encourage communities to use the town centre socially, boosting the evening economy. Page 5

7 1.0 Introduction The plight of Britain s town centres has attracted attention at the highest levels in recent years. The government has introduced a number of actions, from the Portas Review to the Future High Streets Forum, in response to undeniable evidence of economic decline. It is clear that town centres are changing, as is the way in which shoppers use them. With the internet offering unprecedented choice, comparison and convenience, consumers have come to expect more from town and city centres. Yet, although we are all deeply aware of this fundamental shift, surprisingly little is known about what actually constitutes the customer experience in a town centre. This report presents the findings of a unique project to explore that experience. It fills gaps in current knowledge by revealing for the first time what comprises the customer experience within a town centre as opposed to within an individual store or shopping mall. By examining consumer behaviour in relation to the changing landscape of town centres, it provides unprecedented evidence of how the customer experience is formed from a consumer perspective. Methodology The study was carried out between July 2012 and June It was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and supported by six project partners: Argos, the Association of Convenience Stores, the Association of Market Towns, Boots UK, the British Retail Consortium and the Loughborough BID Partnership. The research studied six town centres; Swindon, Huddersfield, Watford, Loughborough, Bury St Edmunds and Sandbach. These locations were chosen to provide a spread across large and small centres, geographic regions, urban and rural settings and market profiles; in addition, they are typical of the type of towns that could be under threat from rival forms of retailing. The research commenced with focus groups in each town centre to gather preliminary insights and scope the customer experience. A consumer tracking study was designed, and conducted whereby all of the respondents kept online diaries in which they logged every single element of their shopping activity over the course of a four-week period. This included where they shopped, with whom, how much time and money they spent in doing so and how they used internet or mobile technology to support or replace the physical shopping experience. Over 1,869 diary entries were generated. Respondents also completed a weekly questionnaire in which they recounted any positive or negative critical incidents occurring during the customer experience journey. More than a thousand instances of customer interaction were identified. This led to establishing of 11 categories of key interactions or touch points, some of them physical (or functional ) and some intangible (or experiential ). At the end of the study respondents completed a 100-item telephone interview to further probe customer experiences and attitudes towards multi channel and digital interaction with town centres. At each stage of the process the research focused on capturing customers behaviour and attitudes in their own words and from their own perspectives. This allowed the study to develop a uniquely rich picture of the customer experience in the six town centres. Page 6

8 2.0 Key findings Shoppers have not yet deserted the High Street A basic aim of this research is to explain how and why respondents use town centres rather than other locations and online shopping. To shed light on these questions, respondents recorded every shopping visit, regardless of location or purchase outcome, during the four-week tracking study. As shown in Figure 2.1, town centres are the most popular shopping destination in our sample, attracting almost a third of all shopping visits (32%) and significantly outperforming online shopping (13%). In terms of visits, the remaining 55% is split between supermarkets, local shops and out-of-town/retail parks. Figure 2.1 Breakdown of visits per location type Town centre (32%) Supermarkets (28%) Local shops (14%) Online (13%) Retail parks/out of town shopping centres (8%) Other (5%) These results suggest that town centres remain the most popular shopping destination, despite increasing competition from other locations and online retailing amid the current difficult economic environment. In our sample the main competition for town centres comes from supermarkets (28% of visits), where non-food product ranges potentially maximise opportunities for customers one-stop shopping. Town centre spending and online spending are near-identical In our sample the average spend per shopping visit in town centres ( 55.86) is almost equal to the average spend per online visit ( 56.51). The figure is slightly higher for out-of-town/retail parks ( 58.74) and lower for supermarkets ( 41.80). This could be due to the predominantly top-up nature of shopping in town centres. As Figure 2.2 shows, the pattern for average time spent per shopping visit is not commensurate with financial spend. Notably, shopping online takes far less time than shopping in town centres and at retail parks. The length of time spent shopping in town centres suggests a wider range of stores, services and facilities collectively occupying a longer shopping visit. Page 7

9 Figure 2.2 Average spend/time spent per shopping visit mins Average spend Average time spent mins mins mins mins mins 0 Town centres Supermarket Local shop Online Out of town/ retail park Other Town centres are the preferred destination for buying fashion/clothing As Table 2.1 shows, fashion/clothing is the most popular sector in our sample, accounting for 27% of total purchases across different locations. It is also the most popular category for purchases in town centres (also 27%). Out-of-town/retail parks are most frequently visited for gifts, sports goods and toys (26%), while online purchases are led by household goods such as furniture, electrical items and CDs/DVDs (28%). Table 2.1 Percentage of purchases made per location type Groceries Books, arts & crafts Chemists, toiletries & healthcare Department stores/ mixed retail Home & household goods Fashion, clothing & footwear Gifts, sports & toys Town centre Retail park Online Total Total Customers mostly choose shopping locations close to home As Figure 2.3 and Table 2.2 show, the respondents in our sample most frequently cite closeness to home as the principal reason for visiting their chosen shopping locations (41%). The availability of goods and convenience/ease of access come next (both 19%). The average age of the shoppers citing these reasons is 40. A slightly younger group, with an average age of 37, is more likely to cite closeness to work as a reason for choosing a certain shopping location. Members of this group are often shopping for refreshments (usually lunch) or visiting a supermarket. Page 8

10 Figure 2.3 Reasons for town centre visits (% of entries) 60 Local/close to home Convenient/easy to get to Close to work Has everything I need Other Swindon Huddersfield Watford Loughborough Bury Sandbach Table 2.2 Reasons for town centre visit per town centre (% of entries) Groceries Books, arts & crafts Chemists, toiletries & healthcare Department stores /mixed retail Home & household goods Swindon Huddersfield Watford Loughborough Bury Sandbach Total Softer factors are also at play A number of other factors are reported as contributing to reasons for their town centre visits. Respondents mentioned factors such as the pleasant atmosphere, the environment and markets. Enjoyment of town centre shopping included sharing the shopping experience with companions, family or friends. These factors account for around 5% of responses across the entire sample but reach up to 16% for some locations. In customers own words: What soft factors influence shopping decisions? It had a market on this weekend, which I wanted to visit A friend invited me to go shopping with her There s a nice mixture of old and new I like the scenery These reasons appear to relate to the softer, more subjective factors of the town centre experience those that stimulate feelings and emotions of pleasure, enjoyment and even excitement. The respondents in our sample citing these factors have an average age of 44. Page 9

11 The figures in Table 2.3 show the average spend according to the reasons for visiting that town centre. These results indicate that consumers are likely to spend more if satisfied with the product assortment (Has everything I need). But other reasons involving enjoyment and excitement also contribute to a significant level of spend. These highlight the value of the softer elements of the customer experience alongside the convenience factors to increase town centre spend. Table 2.3 Average spend according to reason for visit Reason Average spend ( ) Local/close to home/convenient/ easy to get to Close to work Has everything I need Other (social, pleasure etc) Function first and foremost The reasons discussed above come from unprompted responses. The respondents in our sample also explain their choices by ranking a list of nine key town centre factors established by the research team. In this instance, as shown in Table 2.4, the most influential factor in choosing a town centre is the range of stores available (24%). Easy access comes next (18%), followed by parking (17%). This underlines the importance of functional factors in how consumers choose where to shop. Table 2.4 Factors influencing location choice (% of respondents) Factor % of respondents Stores 24 Easy access 18 Parking 17 Markets 9 Layout 9 Social interaction 8 Atmoshere 7 Customer service 6 Information 1 Average 11 Immediate satisfaction is essential As shown in Table 2.5, lack of choice and lack of stock availability are the most frequently cited reasons for the respondents in our sample failing to achieve their shopping objectives during the 4-week period. Between them they account for more than 60% of responses. This finding is especially important in light of the fact that the fashion/clothing sector, as we have already seen, is the most popular for purchases in town centres. This category, along with others dominated by comparison goods, is among those particularly under threat from online retailing. Consumers whose objectives cannot be achieved are increasingly likely to react to dissatisfaction and wasted journeys by switching to the Internet. Page 10

12 Table 2.5 Reasons for respondents NOT achieving objectives in town centre Factor Number of respondents % of respondents Lack of choice/limited range Out of stock/size unavailable Price 7 6 Opening hours 6 5 Customer service 4 4 Crowding 4 4 Lack of store choice 2 2 Parking 2 2 Shopper issue Total Outshopping: what and where? More than a third of all of the shopping visits reported in our sample relate to visits outside the six locations studied. As Figure 2.4 shows, a third of these are to supermarkets in other locations. This is particularly the case for smaller towns, such as Sandbach and Loughborough, where a greater choice of supermarkets is available in bigger town centres nearby. Almost a quarter of outshopping visits are to competitor town centres offering more choice or to experience another location for a change of scene. In our sample the value of outshopping to competing town centres is per visit. The mean spend of all outshopping, including supermarkets, local shops and retail parks in competing destinations, is per visit. Figure 2.4 Proportion (%) of outshopping locations Supermarket (33%) Other town centre (23%) Local shops (23%) Retail parks/out of town shopping centres (8%) Other (5%) Understanding the reasons for outshopping While spending in the respondents own town centres remains higher than that for outshopping, it is important that town management partnerships understand the reasons for outshopping at competing locations. These include: n Shopping near one s workplace at lunchtime or on the way home n Visiting a larger centre because it has a greater range of or bigger stores than available locally n Greater availability of products in larger or more attractive town centres n Collecting or returning goods bought online n Combining shopping with tourism, social visits or a change of scene n The attraction of different types of stores (often independent) not available locally Page 11

13 In customers own words: Why outshop? I had to return an item to a store that s only in that city centre There s a big choice of shops It s nearest to my office, and I could go during my lunch break My mum wanted to go somewhere different One size does not fit all As Table 2.6 shows, Huddersfield has the highest proportion of outshopping in our sample (41%). Nearby Leeds has a wider range of stores, and a number of respondents also work in the city. Watford (38%) has several alternative local small town centres, including Borehamwood and Bushey, within easy reach. Brent Cross Shopping Centre also represents significant competition. Loughborough (36%) has a major retail park, Fosse Park, nearby. Leicester s Highcross Shopping Centre is another factor. Bury St Edmunds and Sandbach, where respondents report around a quarter of shopping visits as outshopping, lose custom mainly to larger town centres in the area. Respondents in Swindon (14%) demonstrated the lowest proportion of outshopping, which were mainly due to combining shopping with tourism, social purposes or work. Table 2.6 Outshopping locations Study Town No. of visits % of visits outshopped Swindon Huddersfield Watford Loughborough Bury St Edmunds Sandbach Most outshopped locations Trowbridge Bath Leeds Halifax Brighouse Borehamwood Bushey Brent Cross Leicester Fosse Park Ipswich Haverhill Cambridge Crewe Manchester The role of services and leisure activities The wider use of available services and leisure activities is crucial to town centres appeal and future success. Figure 2.5 illustrates the use of such amenities by the respondents in our sample over the course of the previous year. Use of banks, cafes, restaurants, bars/pubs and post offices is particularly high. Shopping is also regularly combined with visits to parks, leisure centres and cinemas. Health and beauty services are also combined with town centre shopping visits. Page 12

14 In customers own words: How do you spend your time in town? I spend probably two or three hours walking round the different shops and seeing what I like and what not and then see a film or have something to eat I brought my daughter in for a hair appointment, so I had a mooch around while she was having her hair done Just now and again I meet my friends at the park Figure 2.5 Use of services during town centre visits in previous year (% of respondents) Bank Café Retaurant Bar/pub Post office Park Cinema Leisure Centre Dentist Hairdresser Town hall Theatre Library Health clinic Travel agent Museum Advice centre Other As Table 2.7 shows, respondents who combine town centre shopping with entertainment, banking or refreshments spend more money per visit than the overall average spend per visit. The most significant increase of all results is from combining shopping with visiting an entertainment venue, which raises the average spend to Combining shopping with other non-retail activities, such as visiting a library, park, museum, travel agent or hairdresser, sees the average spend fall beneath 35. Ranging from 93 to 190 minutes, the amount of time spent in town centres is also higher when customers combine shopping with refreshments, banking or entertainment facilities. Visits for purely non-retail purposes generate a lower average spend ( 12.21) and last an average of 77 minutes. It is important to note that even those activities that generate lower spending provide a social benefit to visitors and contribute to dwell time. This suggests that they help enhance the town centre experience and highlights the importance of developing synergies between retail and non-retail activities. For example, visiting parks during a town centre shopping visit was mentioned by 53% of respondents, across all six study locations. The opportunity to relax in a green space away from the core town centre activity appears to be important to more than half of the sample respondents; just now and again or if I meet my friends at the park, if the kids fancy a different park or something and it is really quite enclosed and secure so I don t mind taking them there. Page 13

15 Table 2.7 Average spend when combining shopping with wider town centre offer Activity Average spend ( ) Time spent (mins) Entertainment Banking Refreshments Parks, recreations Non shopping TC visits Average The evening economy The activities discussed above are mainly daytime activities that support town centre shopping. Combining shopping with the evening economy is less popular, with only 23% of the respondents in our sample reporting doing so. Barriers include lack of infrastructure, safety issues, cost and the gap between the closing of shops and the opening of the evening economy or entertainment. In customers own words: Why don t you make more use of the town s evening economy? It has a good side and a bad side. The bad side, where all the chain bars are, attracts trouble. Then there s the other side, with the independent bars, where everything is okay I m not very keen. I don t like the pubs they all seem a bit rough They should consider allowing people to park their cars overnight for a nominal fee of 5 and introduce a taxi rank to local villages I don t use it in the evenings because of the students This suggests a potentially significant means of further enhancing the town centre customer experience is not being fully exploited. The gap between shopping and the evening economy needs to be reduced by providing additional attractions or promoting leisure activities. In addition, costs of travel and parking during the evening should be reviewed to encourage customers from a wider catchment area. Page 14

16 3.0 The internet and mobile technology threat or opportunity? The impact of internet and mobile technology on town centre shopping is of manifest significance amid the ever-increasing competition that digital retailing represents. Drawing on in-depth interviews with the respondents, the research reveals for the first time the extent to which consumers use the internet and mobile technology to enhance or replace the physical shopping experience. The online threat cannot be ignored As we have already seen, town centres compete directly with online shopping, with some 13% of shopping visits in our sample conducted online. It is important to note that the figure varies considerably from town to town, rising from 9% in Swindon to 27% in Loughborough. Differing demographic profiles (e.g. Loughborough s student population) are likely to account for variation across locations. Although the average spend per online visit is similar to the average spend per town centre visit, online shopping times are much shorter. Shopping online lasts an average of only 38 minutes, compared with an average of 93 minutes for a town centre visit. Online shopping is likely to become even quicker and more efficient, particularly given the predicted growth of m-commerce. The online threat to town centres is greatest for comparison goods. This is an area in which town centres typically specialise and also represents the largest category in terms of town centre purchases. It is therefore clear that online retailing represents a very real and growing threat. To understand how to turn that threat into an opportunity it is necessary to examine how town centre shoppers use the internet and mobile technology before, during and after their visits. Online use before the town centre visit As Figure 3.1 shows, product-related searches are the main online activity before town centre visits. The respondents in our sample report searching for products (73%), reviewing products (70%), comparing prices (63%), checking availability (63%) and click-and-collect activity (50%). Finding stores, getting directions and checking information regarding events etc is also reasonably quite commonplace. Very few respondents (14%) report checking town centre websites before visiting. This is due either to a lack of awareness or to perceptions that these sites do not offer sufficiently up-to-date information on the stores, products/brands or events. Figure 3.1 Internet usage before town centre visit (% of respondents) Product search Product preview Price comparison Checking goods availability Click and collect Finding a store Checking what s on Getting directions Checking TC website Page 15

17 Online use during the town centre visit Some 51% of the respondents in our sample report using a smartphone while visiting the town centre. As Figure 3.2 shows, the highest mobile/online usage is for price comparison (26%), which is used to support buying decisions. None of the respondents reports using price comparison to facilitate an online purchase while shopping. Perhaps unsurprisingly, texting / phone calls (23%) and social media (Facebook and ; 23%) are key activities. Using digital technology to search for products and check availability is much less common during the town centre visit (9% and 7% respectively). Click-and-collect is also rarely used in-town (5%), while a similar number (4%) collected vouchers or use other online offers while in the town centre. A small proportion of shoppers (between 5% and 7%) looked up opening times or checked directions while shopping. The use of town centre websites is again extremely low (1%). Figure 3.2 Internet usage during the town centre visit (% of respondents) Price comparison Facebook/ Phone call/text Searching for products Checking availability Getting directions Finding a store Click and collect Check opening times Vouchers/offers Previewing products Checking TC website Checking what s on Buy online Page 16

18 There is little difference between the types of customers using mobile technology during town centre shopping. Price comparisons are popular among all age groups in our sample, with a tendency for the 30-to- 49 age group to use click-and-collect most frequently. Customers under 40 are more likely to use apps, most commonly, as Table 3.1 shows, to find discount vouchers. Table 3.1 Type and frequency of apps used by respondents while shopping Types of apps No. Types of apps No. Voucher apps 12 Sport/health 3 O2 priority moments 7 Twitter 3 Facebook/ 8 Storefinder apps 2 Banking apps 6 Around me 1 Google maps 6 Instagram 1 Store apps (physical) 5 Quick Co 1 Online store apps 6 Shazam 1 Whats app 4 Spotify 1 Barcode scanners 4 How can mobile technology improve the town centre experience? According to the respondents in our sample, the ability to check availability is the most useful way in which mobile technology can improve the town centre experience (11%). Next comes price comparison (7%), followed by getting directions, finding stores, checking opening times and obtaining vouchers (6%). Paying for purchases using mobile technology appears of notably limited appeal (2%). What influences online behaviour in relation to town centre shopping? Analysis of respondents attitudes towards internet shopping, particularly in terms of the convenience and enjoyment it offers, helps explain how online technology might be used to enhance rather than replace the town centre experience. People are more likely to engage in online shopping if they are satisfied with the product-related information provided, if access is easy and if the experience is enjoyable. On the other hand, the immediacy of town centre shopping is preferred if the online experience becomes onerous. In customers own words: Is it always easier to shop online? It s easier... if you re buying children s clothes, because they don t want to go into the shops and try them on Ease of access, ease of information. If you can find out what s happening on your phone then you re much more likely to do it I looked at clothes online, but there was so much to look at that I thought it would be easier to go to the shop and look Page 17

19 People are also less likely to engage in online shopping if they find the town centre experience enjoyable. Many consumers prefer the immediacy and tactile nature of the physical act of shopping. What makes town centre shopping enjoyable? [Shopping online] you don t get to see the smaller, independent shops or boutique shops. So I ll go through phases where I ll shop online for a while and then kind of miss going into the town centre The advantage [of shopping online] is that you can see it, click it... The disadvantage is that you ve got to keep sending it back if it doesn t fit. When you go to the shop you can try it on The most memorable experience about High Street shopping for me is that it s more immersive and tactile than the internet I do quite a bit online, but [for] clothes I d sooner go into the shops and see what I m buying especially shoes, because they never turn out to be right size Shoppers who use online click-and-collect before visiting the town centre were very positive about it. Checking price comparisons of products before and after town centre visits are increasingly popular. What are the benefits of click-and-collect and price comparison? I had a quick scan on prices before I got into town to justify my visit, as I didn t want to spend a lot if I didn t have to I used the internet after my visit to town to find out whether I could get a cheaper deal for a new phone online I used the internet to reserve an item I wanted to get. I did this to make sure they had it in stock I always compare prices if I see something in town. It s so easy to do The practice of Showrooming viewing a product in the town centre and then buying it online, is reported by a significant proportion of the respondents in our sample, with 39% engaging in it occasionally and 18% engaging in it often or very often. However, it is less likely to occur if shoppers have higher levels of satisfaction, receive good customer service and have an enjoyable social experience when visiting the town centre. Page 18

20 What deters online shopping? Although it can be easy to sometimes just shop online, it s good to get hints and tips and someone else s opinion when you re trying stuff on especially from someone who probably sees different people try it on and is trained with knowledge on the product Very little use is made of online information such as town centre websites, which are often perceived to be out-of-date and unhelpful. Where do you find information for town centre shopping? It would be good if you could look things up. If there is a town centre website then the website itself needs advertising They need to advertise the High Street more and give incentives to go there They could make more use of the Whats On in the town portion of the website Using the internet can extend the social nature of the town centre shopping experience. Some respondents in our sample report using mobile technology as a means of virtual communication, which complements and replaces physical contact. For some shoppers, however, physical and online shopping are best kept separate. How do you combine the internet with a town centre shopping visit? I used the internet in the coffee shop with my friend to show her the coat I had just seen and to get her opinion I took some photos of products and sent them to my partner to see if they were suitable gifts for family members When I m shopping I generally turn my phone off so I don t get distracted I use the internet to check my s, not for shopping Page 19

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